JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Lenny Curry on Thursday proclaimed January 2022 as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Jacksonville.
At a news conference Thursday morning, Curry also recognized Rethreaded, which was founded 10 years ago by CEO Kristin Keen to provide employment to local survivors and help them rebuild their lives and remove the barrier of employment. Rethreaded has employed 74 survivors.
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Without a stable job, according to Rethreaded, 85% of survivors of human trafficking will likely be trafficked again.
“I have the opportunity to walk with them as they overcome those same barriers that I have overcome,” said survivor Stephanie Patton, development lead at Rethreaded and Survivor Advocate of the Year. “We have the opportunity to surround women in our community as they begin to shed those feelings of shame. We have the opportunity to watch women rebuild.”
New educational artwork at Rethreaded will aim to inspire those impacted by human trafficking. The artwork is expected to go up in April.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Florida ranks third in the United States for human trafficking cases, and Jacksonville ranks 42nd out of the top 100 most populous U.S. cities based on cases created by the hotline.